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Pipistrel manufactures the Velis Electro, the only EASA-certified all-electric aircraft. © Messe Friedrichshafen
VoltAero Pioneers The French company VoltAero, which will be represented at AERO with its proof-of-concept electric aircraft, is convinced that an aircraft that is to usher in a new age of general aviation must also necessarily look futuristic. At the presentation of its planned Cassio aircraft family, VoltAero announced that it would develop three different models of the Cassio: a four-seat Cassio 330 powered by 330 kW; a Cassio 480 with room for six occupants; and a Cassio 600 powered by 600 kW of power and room for ten occupants. For the production of the aircraft family, the company is building a new plant in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region in the west of France. For the markets in North America and Asia, VoltAero does not intend to produce the aircraft itself, but to grant manufacturing licences.
Bye Aerospace, Safran Combine The electric aircraft manufacturer Bye Aerospace from Denver in the US state of Colorado is working at full speed on the FAA certification of its first model, the two-seater eFlyer 2. The British flying school Skyborne Airline Academy announced, when it ordered ten eFlyers in July 2020, that it would receive an initial delivery in autumn 2022. In parallel, the company founded by George E. Bye is developing the four-seat electric monoplane, eFlyer 4, which is to find its market as a travel, training and cargo aircraft. And in addition, the company is working on the development of the twin-engine electricpowered eFlyer 800 business jet, which is expected to have a range of 500 nautical miles (926 kilometres). For the development of the electric twin-engine aircraft, Bye Aerospace is working together with the French technology group Safran, which is supplying both the complete propulsion system with its ENGINeUS motors and the GENeUSGRID energy management system. Right at the business twin’s unveiling in April 2021, potential customers underlined their interest in buying
such an aircraft in the form of paid-up letters of intent to purchase, although there is no published programme schedule for the eFlyer 800 yet. According to the company, Bye Aerospace currently has no less than 135 paid letters of intent and options on its books for the eFlyer 800. For the single-engine eFlyer models, the company has more than 760 purchase intentions and options. The total number of entries in the order book is approaching the 900 mark, including 732 contracts backed by down payments.
Harbour Air’s eBeaver As early as December 2019, a single-engine de Havilland Beaver converted to a 560 kW magni500 electric motor from magniX has flown for Canada’s Harbour Air. But, so far, Harbour Air has only been able
to complete a little more than 30 test flights with its eBeaver to collect data, optimise the power settings and provide data for certification. The prototype has exceeded the expected performance. Next on the schedule are flights to determine the glide ratio of the aircraft, Harbour Air said. But, before it can be flown again, the eBeaver must first undergo a mandatory routine inspection and will therefore not be available for test flights for a while. To speed up the testing, Harbour Air has decided to convert a second DHC-2 Beaver into an eBeaver. The aircraft with the registration C-FIFQ is already in the hangar for modification. All engine and fuel systems have already been removed and the airframe is being prepared for the installation of the new engine, Harbour Air announced. Due to the good performance, a four-blade variable pitch propeller from Hartzell was chosen for the second prototype. It offers an optimal balance between improved performance and low noise emissions. E-flight is making progress on all fronts. Electric aircraft could be a normal sight on airfields sooner than most people imagine today. ■
Volker K. Thomalla
Head of Communication Aerospace Cluster MESSE FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH
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The Spirit of Innovation is the fastest electric aircraft in the world. © Rolls-Royce
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